Email: 21 May 2012

Hey family,

I'm glad you got to talk to Bishop Huff! I love him and his wife! They are just the greatest people ever! I'm sad I don't get to say goodbye to them before I leave the area on Wednesday. Sister Buckley and I were both very shocked about me leaving. We both thought for sure that I would be staying. So when transfer calls came and I learned I would be serving on OU (Oklahoma University) campus in Norman, I was a bit shaken. I went through all the stages of the grief process in the matter of 2 or 3 hours. Denial, grief, acceptance. (there may be one more step... i don't know) I'm good this morning though. I had better get use to transfers and getting new companions because it's going to happen. haha! I will miss Sister Buckley, but I know the Lord needs me in Norman to serve on campus.

Sister Buckley and Sister Record

We just had zone conference last week! That was awesome! I love President and Sister Taylor! They are so inspired and love us missionaries SO MUCH! President Taylor introduced to us what they called "The Heavenly Gift". This is an amazing thing!!! One of the biggest problems about missionary work, especially here in the South is that people view us as "takers" and they don't see us as people bringing them a gift.

So, President and Sister Taylor introduced this "Heavenly Gift." When we go to a door, instead of the same old introduction we get to say, "We are representatives of Jesus Christ and we are going around sharing a gift with people." or something along those lines. Then we get to offer to say a prayer with the person and their family. The great thing about the people in Oklahoma is they love to pray! :D

Sister Record says, "A store that will buy me!"

We are able to offer to pray for people and their families and offer to pray for specific things for them. After the prayer, when the Spirit is strong, we ask them if we can come back and teach them more about how to feel this way and how to strengthen their relationship with God. (or something a long those lines) IT IS SO AMAZING!!! I love it!

Sister Buckley and I tried the "Heavenly Gift" the other day and it was incredible. We were able to pray for a woman and for her family. After the prayer she was very very grateful that we said that prayer for her. She told us that was really something she needed. :) Sister Buckley and I were talking about how even if people let us pray with the, but don't want to learn more, it still has a better impact on them than if we just threw out the regular door approach. I love it and can't wait to do it some more. :)

Sister Missionaries in the zone at the zoo

Sister Buckley and I were talking about how much a mission is like a mini lifetime. You prepare for you mission your whole life and then you go on a mission. Your first area you serve is where you were born. Then you serve a couple transfers and move from an infant to a young teenager (this is the point we decided I was at). You move along in your mission and get older and older. You learn and progress with each experience. Then you get to be Sister Buckley's age were you're about to die. You reflect back on your "life" and think about all the things you have learned, all the people you've met. You have to figure out how to be yourself after your mission.

So, you die. Then you move on to the "next life" (post mission life) and get to apply everything you learned on your mission. Anyway, hope that made sense. I am finding it is just easier to talk about my thoughts than write them down. haha! I love what Sister Buckley told me at the beginning of the transfer. "You have 18 months to live it and an eternity to remember it." The things you learn as a missionary really are things you will use for the rest of your life. I know the things I'm learning are things that will help me when I have a family of my own.... 15 years in the future. ;)

Oklahoma Sunset

I am so excited to see what happens over the next 15 months! I'm excited to keep meeting people and teaching them the Gospel!

Love, Sister Record